Automobile table attachment



July 9, 1935. K. LANDGREBE AUTOMOBILE TABLE ATTACHMENT Fi led Sept. 26, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Kari Land qrebe W k ttomeys AUTOMOBILE TABLE ATTACHMENT 7 Filed Sept. 26, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 33"? 29 v 13 28 Q o fizzigfi Inventor Kari Land grahattorneys Patented July 9, 1935 TED TATES PATENT f Q Karl Landgrebe, :Emsl ey, Ala. j

' 'Appiieatiowsepremberes;iszsysefien NofKQSLZ'Ei 4 Claims. (01. .issa) 'My invention relates 'to a table attachmentf'o'r automobiles, and my ob'jec't is toenalble automobile users to set up a table, which is normally (concealed, in (position so that 'it maybe used to '5 serve meals-or to play cards on, thereby increasing the usefulness and comfort oi automobiles to those using them for touringor pleasure pur poses.

A further object of my invention is to adapt the .back of the front seat to -be shifted forward against the steerin g 'wheland'the sealti'tself to -be.shi;f.ted su'iiicien'tly to the rear to form a comfortable seat for those at 'the'front of the table.

- A further object of .my invention 'isto provide in the back of the front seat a recessitoreceive .theiolded table, when not in use, this recess being preferably shallow and padded at the rear :and covered byia flex'ib'le curtain or cover so that it offer a comfortable back rest "for those seated on the rearwardly adjusted 'front seat.

My invention also contemplates the provision of !an upwardly folding section or'panel'in the table .so disposed that one .may lift it and rise .irom .thelront seat .and step out or the car between the forwardly "adjusted back of the front seatiandeithertheffront or rear door. This will permit one of the occupants to .get 'in and out without d sturbing the table after it has been set iup n f My invention also comprises the novel means by which the rear-wardly adjustable front seat will carry with 'i'tlegsfor supports'for its overhung rear e'nd when it 'is' shifted back for use at the table. p p

My invention also comprises means normally concealed to .suppor'tfiihe Iorwardedge of the table "from the back-of the front seat which will :be used when the table-is to be used only by those sea-ted on the backseat or while "the carisbeing driven.

My inventionalso contemplates the provision .of novel means that will prevent the tronitseat,

, when in use in its normal position, from being shifted to the rear but which will permit the seat to bereadily niampulatedso that it can be shi'fted to the rear tor :useat the table. e l

My invention also comprises novel means for addustably mounting the. back of the fron-t sea t so that it will take a hearing at each side, for

both its forward and eits -rearward positions,

against-thefloor -of thecarw I I invention alsop;-comprises the novel details of construction and arrangement of parts, which formic} part ofthis speoification, and in which:-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an automobile 42 is padded, as at 1'6, and the recess is covered {for the padding T6 to form a corniort'ableback ,wheel 6.

the car seat in vertical longitudinal cross section in normal Qp'eia'tiIIgLpOsitiQn with the 'tablei'folded and in concealed position in the compartment provided for itinthe backlof the front seat. 5

"Fig. 2 "is a corresponding View showing the back of the rrontseat adjusted forwardly and. the seat itself adjusted rearwardly; with the table -shown in cross section in position for use. i

Fig. 3 is enlarged vi ewishowing the front seat 10 elements and "the adjustabIe connection for the back of the front seat in elevation, the back being broken away to show the padded' recesso'f the table.

Fig. '4 "is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view through the automobile, showing the table "in plan mounted in operating position available .for useby persons seated on both frontand back seats,

Fig.5 illustrates the) manner of supportin the forward edge 'offthe"tab1e from the "backfio'i the front 's'e'at'wh'en in normal position.

Similar reference numerals refer to sirriilar parts throughout the drawings. I j

I have illustrated my invention as applied to a limousine having the typical front doors 5, a steering wheel 6, a frontseat comprising" the seat portion '1 and the continuous back portion 8, a rearseait #9, rear doors i ii, and 'a floor '5 I.

Extending transversely across the back "of the Ifroht seat portion 8 is a shallow recess or pocket 1 2 adapted to receive a folded'table attachment which comprises thes'eetions "I 3 and f4 connected 'by the hinges T5. The inner wall ot'the recess by a leather or canvas 'flap l1 provided with suitable attaching {buttons or clasps 18 at the bottom. Theicompartmen-t T2 is shallow enough and the back cover is looseand flexible "enough cushion vfor one leaning against it when seated, as will be hereinafter described. v I

The end plates T9 at each end of the back "T8 extend down on each side of the se'ait 1 and leaohiisprovided with a pair of pins 20 working in .a slot 2! in a plate Z2 mounted at each end of the support 2'3 for the seat portion '1. The slots and-pins \arearranged .to permit 'the back to come to rest in a =rearward1y adjusted position, as shown in -Fig. 1, and in a forwardly adjusted position, asshown-in Big. 12 111 which latter case it is stoppedijust as it would engage the steering The slots are inclinedto permit the back to; ride upover the iron t seat, iffit behinclined upwardly and forwardly as 'isusual.

remain concealed when not in use.

The bottom end of each side plate I is beveled from each side toward the center, thus providing a rear bearing face, adapted to rest on the floor I l and brace the back of the seat when the seat is in its normal or full line position, Fig. 3, and a front bearing face adapted to rest on the floor when the seat occupies its forward or dotted position. I thus afford a firm bearing for the seat back at each end in both of its operating positions.

The seat I in its under side near the front is provided with a notch or slot 24 adapted to engage a pin 25 mounted near the front edge of the seat support 23. This pin when engaged in the notch will act as a stop means to prevent the seat I shifting rearwardly until its front edge is raised sufficiently to disengage it from the pin 25. The seat I at its back near each end carries legs or supports 26, which are normally received in counter-sunk recesses 21 in the seat support 23. These legs serve to support the rear overhung. end of the seat I when it is adjusted to its rearward operating position, as shown in Fig. 2.

As shown in Fig. 4, the table is of less width than the car, which adapts it to be received in the available space for its recess l2. This necessitates the provision of extension arms 28, which are pivotally connected at 29 to the underside of each corner of the table and each arm has at its free end a hole adapted to receive the upstanding pin 30 on a hinged bracket arm 3|. I'hese bracket arms are each mounted in a countersunk recess 32 in a fixed element of the side body and the brackets are adapted to swing on vertical pivots 33, which allows them to fold in flush when not in use.

The table section I4 is provided with a hinged section 34 adapted to swing upwardly from the horizontal level of the table and permit the occupant of the front seat opposite this section to rise without disturbing the table and step out of the car by opening the adjacent front door 5. Sufficient room is left between the door frame and the back 8 for a person to step out of the car.

When not in use, the table is detached from its brackets 3|, the arms 28 are folded in under the table sections and the latter are folded upwardly together and the collapsed table is then ready to be inserted in recess l2, where it will The table hinges will only permit the table sections to open out into the same plane.

It will be apparent, by reference to Fig. 4, that when the table has been opened out and mounted in position it is available to serve persons seated comfortably on both front and back seats. In the position of parts shown in this figure, the back 8 has been adjusted forward and the seat 1 has been shifted rearward and is supported on 23 at the front and on its legs 26 at the rear.

It will be understood that my invention can be variously modified so as to adapt it to use in different automobiles without departing from its essential features.

Thus, I may provide rubber covered pins 35 fixed in the ends of the pocket l2 near the top thereof which will serve to support the front edge of the table when the back 8 is in normal position, as shown in Fig. 5. This will enable the table to be used only by occupants of the rear seat and will permit such use while the car is beingv driven. The curtain I! can be readily pushed in behind these pins and they will be so spaced from the back of the pocket as to permit the upper edge of the folded table to be forced up behind them, thus serving to securely hold the table in the pocket against falling out and requiring that its bottom edge be pulled forward out of the pocket before it can be taken out.

What Iclaim is:

1. In an automobile, a front seat comprising a continuous seat portion having rear legs and a support upon which said seat portion is rearwardly adjustable from its normal forward operating position, in combination with means to lock said seat portion in its normal forward position, and a continuous adjustable back portion for said from; seat adapted to be moved to a forward position with respect to said seat portion when the latter has been rearwardly adjusted, said back portionhaving side plates attached to the ends thereof carrying pins and said seat support having formed therein arcuate slots in which said pins are engaged and free to travel, the bottom end of each side plate being beveled to form front and rear bearing faces, respectively adapted to engage the floor of the automobile to brace the back portion in its forward or rearward position.

2. An automobile having means to mount a table between its front and rear seats, in combination with means to render the front seat available for use by persons seated at said table and facing rearwardly of the automobile, the said means comprising supports on which the scat element of the front seat is rearwardly slidable from its normal forward position, rear legs on said seat element to support its overhung end when rearwardly extended, means to lock the seat in its normal forward position, said front seat comprising a continuous back element, means to support said back element in its normal position comprising standards secured to the ends of said back element, guide elements rigidly mounted at each end of said seat, and means cooperatively inter-connecting said standards and guide elements whereby the back element may be shifted from its normal rear position forwardly and upwardly to a forward adiusted position overhanging the seat element and clear of the automobile steering wheel to serve as a back for rearwardly facing persons seated on the rearwardly adjusted front seat element and rigid means to stop said back element in its forward and rear operating positions respectively.

3. An automobile having the seat arrangement of the back element of the front seat is formed with a rearwardly opening recess substantially coextensive in length and height therewith and adapted to receive the table when not in use and to provide an increased back room for the rearwardly seated persons.

4. An automobile having the seat arrangement according to claim 2, in which the rearward face of the back element of the front seat is formed with a rearwardly opening recess substantially coextensive in length and height therewith and adapted to receive the table when not in use and to provide an increased back room for the rearwardly seated persons, said recess having its inner wall padded and having an outer flexible curtain cover, as and for the purposes described.

' I 4 KARL LANDGREBE. 

